Push button door handle



Nov. 5, 1957 e. v. JAKEWAY I 2,81

PUSH BUTTON'DOOR HANDLE Fi-led Feb. 18, 1955 United States Patent Q PUSH BUTTON DOOR HANDLE Gerald V. Jakeway, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Keeler Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 18, 1955, Serial No. 489,077

Claims. (Cl. 292-3363) This invention relates to a push button door handle adapted for use on the doors of automobiles, refrigerators and the like.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a push button door handle adapted for use on doors of automobiles, refrigerators and the like which may be assembled as a unit and installed as such and one in which the parts are so associated to withstand severe usage.

Second, to provide a push button door handle having these advantages in which the parts are simple and economical to produce and may be assembled and disassembled without the aid of tools.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a door handle embodying my invention mounted upon a door, parts being shown in section longitudinally of the handle.

Fig. 2 is an inside or rear fragmentary view of the handle with the push button stem shown insection.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 33 of Fig. 1 showing certain of the structural details.

Fig. 4 is a disassembled or exploded view of the push button, its stern and its biasing spring and the supporting abutment.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents a door and 2 a panel thereof, the panel having an opening 3 therein adapted to receive a portion of the handle and a second opening 4 adapted to receive an attaching bolt.

The panel 2 is reinforced by the plate 5 having openings therein registering with the openings 3 and 4 and having an angled flange 6 at its front end adapted to receive the attaching screw 7, the door having an opening 8 to permit the introduction and manipulation of the screw. This provision of the reinforcing plate for the panel forms no part of my present invention.

The latch is conventionally illustrated at 9 and is provided with an actuating member 10 also conventionally illustrated.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated the handle comprises a grip portion 11 and a push button socket 12 formed integrally therewith as a die casting. The grip portion 11 is generally bowed in shape and has an attaching bolt 13 cast therein and adapted to be passed through the panel opening 4 and the reinforcing plate to receive the securing nut 14. The screw 7 is threaded into the bore 15 provided therefore in the handle. This permits the handle being assembled as a unit and attached as a unit.

The push button socket 12 is desirably cylindrical and is provided with an inwardly facing shoulder 16 at its outer end defining an opening 17 in which the push button 18 reciprocates. The push button is desirably formed as a cupped stamping and has an enlarged inner portion 19 providing an outwardly facing shoulder 20 on which the weather sealing and silencing gasket 21 is seated to coact with the inwardly facing shoulder 16 of the socket when the push button is in projected position, as illustrated in Fig. l.

The push button socket is provided at its inner end with circumferentially spaced internal lugs 23 and with internal angularly spaced ribs 22 and terminating at their inner ends in spaced relation to the stops. The enlarged inner end portion 19 of the push button is in sliding engagement with these ribs 22. The combined push button stem guide and abutment member 24 is of such diameter as to be rotatably received within the socket and is provided with peripheral notches 25 adaptedto pass the lugs 23 for the inserting or removal of the member 24 when these notches are aligned with the lugs 23,

The member 24 is desirably formed as a stamping and the edges of the notches 25 have rib-like upset-s 26, the

ends 27 of which constitute stops preventing such rotative movement of the member 24 as would disengage it from the lugs except when it is forced axially against the tension of the spring so that the stops 27 will clear the lugs. The member 24 is provided with an outwardly projecting tubular guide 28 for the push button stem 29 which is provided with a disc-like head 30 seated within the push button and preferably of such diameter as to prevent any substantial relative lateral movement of th push button and stem.

The coil spring 31 is seated upon and supported by the abutment member 24 and is in biasing thrust engagement with the stem head 30. The spring 31 serves the double functionof biasing the push button and releasably holding the member 24 in engagement with the lugs 23 of the socket member. This arrangement permits the very rapid assembly and disassembly of the handle parts without the aid of tools and there are only six parts in the assembling including the sealing and silencing member 21.

To assemble the parts the sealing and silencing member 21 is slipped over the push button which is inserted in the socket from the inner side thereof, the stem with the spring thereon is positioned and the abutment and stem guide member is slipped over the projecting end of the stem and inserted into and rotated in the socket until it is brought into position to engage the socket lugs and then released. The spring acts to hold it in that position. The parts cannot be disassembled after the handle is mounted on the door without dismounting the handle from the door. However, when that is done the parts may be readily disassembled should the occasion require. As stated the handle and socket are formed as an integral die casting, and the push button is drawn from'sheet stock as is also the abutment member. The parts may be very economically produced and while the structure may 7 be assembled and disassembled without the aid of tools the parts are securely retained in assembled relation.

I have illustrated my invention in a practical commercial embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A handle comprising a grip and an open ended socket at the front end of the grip provided with an annular inwardly facing shoulder at its outer end with angularly spaced internal lugs at its inner end, said socket also having angularly spaced longitudinally extending ribs aligned with said lugs, the inner ends of the ribs being spaced from said lugs, a cupped push button having an outwardly offset inner end portion slidably coacting with said ribs and providing an outwardly facing shoulder of a diameter exceeding that of the open outer end of the socket, a push button stem provided with a head at its outcheudofla diametenapproximating that of the outer end of the push button and-removably seated therein, a removable abutment member-rotatable within said socket an'd havin'g lug engaging portions and peripheral 'recesses anguldrlyspaced to receive thesaid angularly spaced lugs or said-"socket; said abutmenthaving an inwardly projecting rib-like olfset at the edges of the recesses constifitting-stops limiting the rotative movement of the abutment member when it is in engagement with said lugs, said abutment member having a centrally outwardly projecting tubular guide for said push button stern, and a coil spring atrangedon said .stem and seated on. said abutment member with itsouter end-in thrust engagement with said stem head and acting-to bias the push button and to hold the abutment memberin engagement with said lugs of said socket.w

2C Ahandl'ecomprising a gripand an open ended socket a't' th'e front end ol'a thegrip= provided with an annular inwardly facing shoulder at.its outer end with angularly spaced internal lugs at its inner end, a cupped push button havingaamoutwardly facing shoulder of a diameter exceeding that of the open outer end of the socket, a pirstrbutton-stem provided with a head at its outer end ot a'diameter approximatingthat of the outer end of the push' bntton and removably seated therein, a removable abutment member rotatable within said socket and having leg-engaging portions and peripheral recesses angularly spacedto receive-the said angularly spaced lugs of said socket, said abutment having an inwardly projecting. riblike offset at the edges of the recesses constituting stops limiting the rotative movement of the abutment member whemit. is in engagementwithsaid lugs, said abutment me'mberhaving a central guide for said push button stem,

and'a-coil spring arranged on said stem and seated on said abutment member with its outer end in thrust engagement with said stem head and acting to bias the push button :md -to hold.the abutment memberin engagement with sa'idlugs of said socket.

3. A' handle comprising agrip and an open ended socket :at-the front end of the grip provided with a push buttodstopat its outer'end with angularly spaced internal lugs at--its-inner end; a cupped push button having an outwardly-facing shoulder of a diameter exceeding that of th'e open outer end ofthe socket, a push button stem provided with a head at its outer end fittingly and removably =seatedin said push button, a removable abutmentrnember rotatable within said socket and having lu'g'en-gaging portions and peripheral recesses angularly spaced to'receive the said angularly spaced'lugs of said socket, saidabutment having inwardly projecting stops limiting the rotative movement of the. abutment member when it is in engagement with said'lugs, said abutment member having a central guide for said push button stem,

anda coil'spring. arranged on said stem and seated on said abutment member with its outer end in thrust engagement with said stem head and acting to bias the push button and to hold the abutment member in engagement with said lugs of said socket.

4. A handle comprising a'grip and an open ended socket at the front end of the grip provided with angularly spaced internallugs at=its-inner end, said socket also having angularly spaced longitudinally extending ribs alignednwith saidlugs, theinner ends of .the ribs being spaced from said lugs, a push button provided with a stem and having anoutwardly otfset inner end portion slidablycoaeting with said ribs andproviding anout wardly facingshoulder of a.diameter.exceeding that of the open outer end of the socket, a'removable abutment member rotatable within said socket and having lug engaging portions and peripheral recesses angularly spaced to receive the said angularly spaced lugs of said socket, said abutmenthaving. inwardly projecting stops limiting its rotative movement when it is in engagement with said lugs, said abutment member having a guide for said push button stem, and acoil spring arranged on said stem and seated on said abutment member with its outer end" in thrust engagement with. said push button and acting. to bias the push. button. and to holdthe abutment member in engagement with said lugs of said socket.

5. A handle: comprising a grip and an open ended socket at the front .end of the grip provided with angularly spaced internal lugsat its inner end, a push button provided with a stem and having an outwardly facing shoulder of a diameter exceeding that of the open outer end of the secket; a. removableabutment member rotatable within: said socket and having lug engagingportions and peripheral recesses angularly spaced to' receive the said angularly spaced lugs of said socket, said abutment having. inwardly projecting. stops limiting its rotative movement when it is in engagement with said lugs, said abutment member having a guide for'said push button stem;.-.and;a..coil spring arranged on said stem and seated on said abutment member with its outer end in thrust engagement withsaid push button and acting to bias the pushtbuttom and to hold the abutment member in engagement with said lugs of said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,397,759 Franklin Nov. 22, 1921 2,460,607 Sullivan Feb. 1, 1949 2,603,963 Allen July 22, 1952 2,605,630 Keeler Aug. 5, 1952 2,606,783 Roethel" Aug. 12, 1952 2,658,782 Allen Nov; 10, 1953 2,687,031 Craig Aug. 24, 1954 

